Drum Stars Name Their Favorite Drum Fill

By Andrew Lentz

Originally published in the April 2013 issue of DRUM! Magazine

“What’s your favorite drum fill in recording history?”

Matt SorumAge 52Years playing 37 Band Velvet Revolver
“My all-time favorite has to be Keith Moon on ’Won’t Get Fooled Again’ at 7:32 into the track. Breaks down to a cool synth pattern and sets up the tension perfectly for Keith to unleash the herd of buffalo. Loose and amazing as only Keith could be.”

Ryan MoranAge 36Years playing 27 Band Slightly Stoopid
“The first one that comes to mind is a climactic fill during the peak of [Led Zeppelin’s] ’When The Levee Breaks.’ Not only is the groove ridiculous, but somehow the fill is placed perfectly and played with so much power and flow.”

Lenny WhiteAge 63Years playing 49
“Picking the one of all time is hard, but one of my favorites and one that influenced me a lot was Bernard Purdie with James Brown on ’Cold Sweat’ [remake].”

Jason McGerrAge 38Years playing 19Band Death Cab For Cutie
“John Bohnam’s fill into the first verse of ’Good Times, Bad Times.’ It was like ’Meet John Bohnam.’ Besides Buddy Rich, that was the first time I’d heard a drummer come out of the speakers with such a personality.”